Lever operated, pivoted shingle cutter



March 8, 1955 s. N. GUNDLACH 2,703,613

LEVER OPERATED, PIVOTED SHINGLE CUTTER Filed Oct. 23, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 INVENTOR: SEVERIN N. GUNDLACH March 1955 s. N. GUNDLACH LEVER OPERATED, PIVOTED SHINGLE CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 23, 1950 FIG.

44 INVENTOR. SEVERIN N. GUNDLACH ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent LEVER OPERATED, PIVOTED SHINGLE CUTTER Severin N. Gundlach, Belleville, 1]].

Application October 23, 1950, Serial No. 191,649

4 Claims. (Cl. 164-46) This invention relates to improvements in cutting devices, particularly portable shingle cutters of the kind shown in my Patent No. 1,981,695, dated November 20, 1934.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a notcher which is lighter in weight and which eliminates the large casting required in previous designs, thereby eliminating the possibility of breaking that particular part. Another object is to provide a shingle cutter wherein the operating handle forms the slot for the notcher knife blade, a chute for the shingle chips, and the lower cutting edges for the notcher.

Another object is to provide a notcher with greater leverage for faster and easier operation, and positive action thereby eliminating jamming by the chips. The greater leverage also permits a narrower cutting slot which produces a cleaner cut with vertical walls, which is highly desirable, instead of the beveled cuts heretofore produced.

Less weight, less parts, less cost and superior operating performance are the outstanding advantages embodied in this new notching device.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

This invention consists in providing a new notching device in a shingle cutter and in the combination of this notching device with the cutter and nail hole punches.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a portable shingle cutter embodying my invention showing the operating arm in lowered position with an asbestos shingle indicated in broken lines,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view thereof showing the operating arm in raised position,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal view of the front end or notching end of the shingle cutter when the operating arm is in lowered position,

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the notching end of the shingle cutter showing a shingle about to be notched,

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1; the front end punch in this figure has been omitted for clarity,

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 77 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a front end view of the upper holder,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the front end of the upper holder, and,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical view of the notcher knife blade.

The present cutting device is particularly adapted for use in trimming and notching asbestos shingles, although it may be used for other purposes. In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown embodied in a portable shingle cutter having a stationary lower holder 1 provided near its opposite ends with suitable supporting legs 2 and along its top with a longitudinal knife blade 3.

The knife blade 3 is removably secured in a groove in the stationary lower holder 1 by means of set screws 4. The stationary lower holder 1 is provided along one side 2 with a laterally extending flange portion 5 which serves as a support for the shingle being cut.

An upper holder 6 provided with a handhole 7 is pivotally supported, as at 8, at the rear end of said lower ice 5 holder 1 and is provided along its bottom with a longitudinal knife blade 9 adapted to cooperate with the lower knife blade 3. The pivoted upper holder 6 is raised and lowered by means of an operating arm or lever 10 that is located above and extends longitudinally of said pivoted upper knife holder 6 and terminates adjacent to the front end of the cutter in an enlarged portion 11 having bifurcated end portions 12 and 13, respectively. The lever 10 is also provided with a slot 14 and cutting edges 15 which form the sides of said slot 14, a chute 16 for receiving chips from notched shingles and directing them so that said chips will not fall into any of the operating parts of the device, and a shingle supporting table 17 which serves as a support for the shingle as it is being cut.

The operating lever 10 is provided with a nail hole punch 18 that projects from the lower edge of said lever 10 near the free edge thereof and is adapted to cooperate with a die 19 provided therefor on the top edge of the pivoted knife holder 6.

The bifurcated end portions 12 and 13 of the lever 10 straddle the upper corner portion of the free forward end of the pivoted upper holder 6 and are pivotally secured thereto by means of a horizontal cross pin 20; and the bifurcated portions 12 and 13 of said lever 10 straddle and are pivotally connected by means of a horizontal cross pin 21 to the upper end of an upright link 22 whose lower end is pivoted by means of a horizontal cross pin 23 to the adjacent forward end of the stationary lower holder 1.

By this arrangement, when the operating lever 10 is swung downwardly, said lever pivots on the pin 21 on the upper end of the link 22 and thus swings the pivoted upper knife holder 6 downwardly into cutting position and, at the same time causes said link 22 to swing on the supporting pin 23 therefor toward the free end of said upper knife carrier 6.

The shingle cutter is provided at its forward end with a shingle support and nail hole punch unit comprising an upright plate-like supporting member 24 that is detachably secured to the upright link 22 on one side thereof by the horizontal cross pin 21 and a horizontal cap screw 25 which is located below said pin and extends through said link from the opposite side thereof and is threaded into a boss 26 on the link opposing face of said plate-like supporting member. By this arrangement, the plate member 24 is fixed to the link 22 for movement therewith. The supporting member or plate 24 has an upwardly opening shingle receiving and supporting cross groove or notch 27 formed therein forwardly of the link thereof.

Mounted in a lateral enlargement or boss 28 provided therefor on the link opposing face of the supporting plate 24 rearwardly of the cross groove or notch 27 therein is a plunger or punch 29 adapted for axial sliding movement forwardly across said notch opposite a hole 30 in the front wall thereof. The punch 29 is provided with a tapered forward end portion 31 adapted to cooperate with its die 32 mounted in the hole 30 in the front wall of the notch 27. The hole 30 opens through the front edge of the supporting plate 24 so as to permit the punchings to be ejected from said hole at the forward end thereof.

The punch 29 extends rearwardly through the supporting boss 28 therefor and is provided at its rear end with a fixed outstanding collar or circumferential flange 33. The bifurcated enlarged portion 11 of the operating lever 10 has a rounded projection or lobe 34 on the front edge of one bifurcated portion 12 adapted, when said lever is closed, to press against the rear end of the punch 29 and move the same forwardly into operative position. The punch 29 is retracted to inoperative position by means of a lug 35 formed on the bifurcated portion 12 of the lever 10 concentric with the cross pin connection between said lever and the upper end of the link 22. When said lever 10 is raised, the lug 35 swings rearwardly against the collar 33 on the punch 29 and thus moves the latter to inoperative position. The rearward movement of the punch 29 to inoperative position is limited by a stop screw 36 which is threaded horizontally through the supporting plate 24 rearwardly of the punch with its inner end in position to be engaged by the collar 33 of the latter.

The front end punch is particularly advantageous in punching small holes for securing the exposed portions of the shingles, the larger concealed holes being punched by means of the punch 18 mounted on the lever 10. Obviously, the last mentioned punch 18 may be omitted and the front end punch made large enough to punch the larger holes, or the front end punch may be omitted.

The shingle cutter is provided with a supplemental cutting means or notching device comprising a notcher knife blade 37 having a hole 38 which slips over the horizontal cross pin 21, and a front leg 39 and rear leg 40 which form a slot 41 which cooperates with a lug 42 mounted on a small upstanding portion 43 on the forward end of the upper holder 6, said small upstanding portion 43 and lug 42 positioned between the bifurcated end portions 12 and 13 of the lever 10. Machined bosses 44 surround the hole 38 on both sides of the notcher knife blade 37. These machined bosses 44 are in contact with finished surfaces on the bifurcated end portion 13 and the upper end of the link 22, thereby providing a rigid notcher construction free from lateral play and insuring the centering or the same alignment of the notcher knife blade 37 in the slot 14 at all times.

The lever is limited in its downward swinging movement by the upstanding lug 45 mounted on the upper holder 6.

When it is desired to cut a shingle, the lever 10 is raised and the shingle is placed between the knife blades 3 and 9. The lever 10 is then lowered to cut the shingle. When it is desired to provide a nail hole in a shingle, the lever 10 is raised and the shingle is placed in the cross groove 27 of the front end punch or on the die 19. The lever 10 is then lowered to punch a nail hole in the shingle.

It is often necessary to notch or partially cut through shingles in order to fit them around dormers, chimneys, and openings in roofs as well as windows, doors, and other openings in walls. This is accomplished in fast and easy manner with the notching device on the forward upper end by raising the lever 10, placing the shingle to be notched over the slot 14 in the enlarged portion of the lever 10 and under the notcher knife blade 37 and lowering the lever 10.

The lever 10 is then raised, the shingle moved forward for the next notching operation, and the lever lowered. This operation is repeated until a notch of the desired length is obtained. During this notch ng operation the shingle rests on the shingle supportmg table 17 as it is being notched, which aids in notching along a straight line.

By the arrangement descrlbed, when the lever 10 is raised from its lowered position, shown 1n Fig. l, to a partially raised position shown in Flg. 5, or to such a position wherein the notcher knife blade 37 1s plvoted upwardly from the slot 14 having the cutting edges so that a shingle may be inserted therebetween for notching, the lever 10 pivots on the horizontal cross plus 20 and 21 and the notcher knife blade 37 is pivoted by the action of the lug 42 on the small upstanding portion 43 of the upper holder 6 in cooperation with the legs 39 and 40 forming the slot 41 in the notcher knife blade 37. When the lever 10 is in its lowered position, as shown in Fig. l, the horizontal cross pin 21 is directly above the lug 42 whereas in the partially open pos1t1on shown in Fig. 5, the horizontal cross pin 21 is forward and slightly downward from its original position with respect to the lug 42. This arrangement provides a notcher which is positive, fast, and easy to operate, and which has great leverage. Obviously, a gear and pinion arrangement or other suitable equivalent means could replace the slot and lug arrangement herein disclosed.

The chips or the material removed from the shingle in forming the notch are guided or directed away from the moving parts of the shingle cutter by means of the device of the chute 16.

It is to be noted that the table portion containing the slot 14 is in the same plane with the top of the shingle supporting table 17.

The construction of the notching device permits the use of a narrow slot in the operating arm itself, and this narrow slot may be narrower than slots heretofore possible in notching devices. This is important since the wider the slot the more material must be cut out. Furthermore, it will be observed that the width of the notch cut in an ordinary asbestos shingle on the top surface will be the same as the width of the notcher knife blade 37 and the width on the bottom surface will be the same as the width of the slot 14 which cooperates with said knife blade. If the slot 14 is twice the width of the knife blade, then the notch cut in an ordinary asbestos shingle will usually be twice as wide on the bottom surface as it is on the top surface, thereby giving a notch which is beveled. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a slot only slightly wider than the cooperating knife blade in order to produce a neat and clean cut with vertical walls.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A portable shingle notcher comprising an elongated body portion, a bar located above said body portion and pivotally secured thereto adjacent one end thereof, an upwardly extending link pivoted at one end to said body portion adjacent to the free end of said bar, an operating lever pivoted on spaced axes to the upper end of said link and to the free end of said bar, said lever being oscillatable between an inoperative position in which said axes lie in a substantially horizontal plane and an operative position in which the said axes lie in a substantially vertical plane, the portion of said lever pivotally connected to said link having a slot therein extending longitudinally of said lever, a notching blade pivotally'mounted in said slot coaxial with the pivotal connection of said lever and link, and in shearing relationship with the side edges of said slot, and connecting means between said blade and bar for pivoting said blade into and out of said slot upon oscillation of said lever.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said lever has a downwardly and laterally opening outlet means feeding from said slot for the discharge of cut material.

3. A notching machine comprising a fixed base, a stationary upstanding member fixed thereto, a pivot means carried by and extending transversely of the lower part of said member, a fulcrum fixed on the upstanding member above and slightly laterally and outwardly offset from said pivot means, a lever having a forward end mounted on the pivot means and extending rearwardly and opposite from the direction of offset of said fulcrum, said lever having a top surface adapted to have the article to be notched positioned thereon, said forward end of the lever having a bifurcation forming a notching slot extending rearwardly into said top surface, a transverse member carried by and extending across the free end of the bifurcation, a thin knife body pivotally mounted on said transverse member between the furcations for free rocking movement, said knife body having a forked portion directed downwardly toward the base and having said fulcrum loosely engaged therein, the knife body further having a blade extending toward the said work supporting surface of said lever and driven by said fulcrum upon oscillation of the knife body in one direction to enter said notching slot, said lever having a raised non-working position in which the knife blade is out of the notching slot and the pivot pin is laterally forwardly offset from the fulcrum and a lowered working position in which the knife blade enters the slot and the pivot pin is above and in a substantially vertical line with the fulcrum.

4. A machine for notching a flat body such as a shingle, said machine comprising a base, a stationary upstanding member secured thereto, a pivot pin carried by said member in the lower part thereof and having its axis directed transversely of the member, an elongate handle lever having a forward end and a rear end, said lever extending rearwardly and having a top side formed at said forward end to provide a table surface for supporting the flat body to be notched, the lever having its forward end formed to provide a forwardly extending upper pair of spaced furcations and a pair of forwardly extending lower furcations, each pair of furcations having aligned transversely directed bearing openings, the space between the upper furcations forming a slot in the end portion extending forked portion in which said fulcrum element 10 is loosely engaged and a blade extending in the direction of the rear end of the lever, said body being driven by said fulcrum element so that said blade enters said table slot when the knife body is turned on the said transverse member by the swinging of the rear end of the lever downwardly toward the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 146,138 Merritt Jan. 6, 1874 321,804 Douglas July 7, 1885 552,364 Glunt Dec. 31, 1895 1,812,350 Lingwood June 30, 1931 1,981,695 Gundlach Nov. 20, 1934 2,332,561 Drott Oct. 26, 1943 2,363,630 Wales Nov. 28, 1944 2,619,172 Flittner Nov. 25, 1952 

